1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for agitating a liquid hardener used for improving soft ground, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for agitating a liquid hardener, which is configured in such a way as to sufficiently and reliably agitate the liquid hardener and secure a maximum agitation capacity while occupying a minimum space.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in order to improve soft ground in depth, including marine clay or stratified clay, a wide variety of methods had been disclosed in the art, such as a deep mixing method of soil stabilization in which a liquid hardener is mixed with soil, a chemical grouting method in which a liquid mixture of chemicals is injected into soil, and so forth. After the soft ground is reinforced in these methods, structures can be constructed on rigidified soil.
In particular, in the chemical grouting method, it is to be noted that, after the chemicals are mixed in a mixing chamber and thereby a liquid hardener is prepared, the liquid hardener should be supplied through an appropriate supply section while it is prevented from being coagulated or precipitated due to its chemical characteristic. In this regard, the present applicant disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 219079 an apparatus for agitating a liquid hardener used for improving soft ground, which will be explained in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional apparatus for agitating a liquid hardener; and FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG. 4. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the conventional liquid hardener agitating apparatus includes a storage tank 130, an agitation tank 150 and a cleaning water tank 160. An introduction hopper 110 is formed at a rear upper end of the storage tank 130, and storage chambers 132 are defined in the storage tank 130 by partitioning walls. Mixing impellers 122 are respectively arranged in the storage chambers 132 in a manner such that they are driven by motors 120, respectively, mounted to an upper wall of the storage tank 130. The agitation tank 150 is integrally formed at a lower end of the storage tank 130. Agitation chambers 152 are defined in the agitation tank 150 by partitioning walls in a manner such that they are respectively associated with the storage chambers 132. The storage chambers 132 and the agitation chambers 152 are communicated with each other through discharge pipes 140 on which opening/closing valves are installed, respectively. The cleaning water tank 160 is integrally formed at a front end of the agitation tank 150.
Agitation scrappers 150a, which are coupled via a connecting rod to a cam which in turn is interlocked through reduction gears with a driving motor, are arranged in the agitation chambers 152, respectively, in a manner such that they can be pivoted forward and rearward within the range of a predetermined angle to agitate a liquid mixture of chemicals serving as a liquid hardener.
In the conventional liquid hardener agitating apparatus constructed as mentioned above, while the liquid hardener is agitated by the agitation scrappers 150a arranged in the agitation chambers 152, to be prevented from being coagulated or precipitated, a problem is caused in that, since the storage tank 130 and the agitation tank 150 have a rectangular configuration and the agitation scrappers 150a arranged in the agitation chambers 152 are pivoted forward and rearward within the range of the predetermined angle to agitate the liquid hardener, due to a pivoting radius of the agitation scrappers 150a, the agitating apparatus cannot but occupy a large space, and the liquid hardener cannot be sufficiently and reliably agitated. Further, because the agitation tank 150 has only two agitation chambers 152, the conventional agitating apparatus cannot have a large agitation capacity.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for agitating a liquid hardener used for improving soft ground, which is configured in such a way as to sufficiently and reliably agitate the liquid hardener and secure a maximum agitation capacity while occupying a minimum space.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for agitating a liquid hardener used for improving soft ground, comprising: a storage tank section formed, at a rear upper end thereof, with an introduction part, and having a plurality of storage tanks in which mixing impellers are arranged in such a way as to be respectively driven by motors mounted to upper walls of the storage tanks, the storage tank section further having transparent indicator tubes which are disposed in front of and communicated with the storage tanks each to indicate an amount of a liquid mixture serving as the liquid hardener; an agitation tank section positioned underneath the storage tank section and having a plurality of agitation tanks which are respectively associated with the storage tanks of the storage tank section and each of which has a circular section shape and supply valves which are installed on the agitation tanks, the agitation tank section further having agitation impellers which are respectively arranged in and adjacent to lower ends of the agitation tanks in such a way as to be rotatably driven by a common driving motor; a liquid mixture supply section having connection pipes which are connected at one ends thereof to the storage tanks and on which opening/closing valves are installed, a supply pipe which is connected at one end thereof to the other ends of the connection pipes, and distribution pipes which are connected at one ends thereof to the other end of the supply pipe and on which discharge valves are installed to allow discharge of the liquid mixture contained in the storage tanks into the agitation tanks; and a cleaning water tank section positioned in front of the agitation tank section and having a plurality of cleaning water tanks which are integrally formed with the agitation tanks, respectively.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the storage tank section has first through fourth storage tanks, and the agitation tank section has first through fourth agitation tanks.